Nassau County lawmakers vote to ban masks in public

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Nassau County lawmakers voted to ban masks on Monday night. The ban passed with 12 people voting yes and seven abstaining. "Unless someone has a medical condition or a religious imperative, people should not be allowed to cover their face in a manner that hides their identity when in public,” [...]

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Nassau County lawmakers voted to ban masks on Monday night.

The ban passed with 12 people voting yes and seven abstaining.

"Unless someone has a medical condition or a religious imperative, people should not be allowed to cover their face in a manner that hides their identity when in public,” said County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

In a statement, the New York Civil Liberties Union condemned the vote, saying:

"Nassau County’s mask ban is a dangerous misuse of the law to score political points and target protestors. Barring people who speak out from protecting themselves and their identities puts their health and well-being in danger, particularly people with disabilities, people of color, and those with unpopular views. Masks protect people who express political opinions that are unpopular. Making anonymous protest illegal chills political action and is ripe for selective enforcement, leading to doxxing, surveillance, and retaliation against protesters. Banning face masks also puts Nassau County residents’ health at risk. With COVID-19 on the rise across Long Island, face coverings are critical to protecting the health of an individual, their family, and their community...The ban’s so-called health and religious exceptions are entirely inadequate: Nassau County police officers are not health professionals or religious experts capable of deciding who needs a mask and who doesn’t."

Susan Gottehrer, Nassau County regional director of the NYCLU

Officials said during the meeting, around 6:30 p.m., a woman allegedly became disruptive and was taken into police custody.